Someone from Kodak will answer questions

[Scotness]

I've got the ear of someone at Kodak who has agreed to answer some questions on Super 8 - rather than pass on his contact address he's asked me to collect the most pertinent questions here and send them on to him, and he'll then do his best (he's a technical specialist not a marketing person).

So what questions do you want to ask? And don't ask if sound striped film or Kodachrome 25 is coming back - he specifically said they're not and not to a sk ](*,)

My first question is in regard to the jittery cartridges - what has been done to fix them and is there any guarantee it won't happen again.

Other questions fire away - and when it's settled down to a core of the most important questions I'll forward them on to him

Scot

[Alex]

A list of all the places that transfer Super-8 to HD. I primarily care about the Los Angeles area. I may have my answer tomorrow morning however.

[LastQuark]

- S8 roadmap

- $ sales/earnings of S8 films each quarter.

- Any films in development with finer grain than K40 or any S8 films

- Development of reusable cartridge with real pressure plate. Kodak makes money selling the cartridges and reduce cost in selling no-cartridge S8 films.
 

[T-Scan]

Future products. if or what will replace VNF 125. if any new E-6 reversals may be coming out that are appropriate for S-8?

[sonickel]

1. Are Kodak developing any higher ASA reversal films for super 8 (ie 400 rather than 40?)

2. Is the future of Super 8 assured?

[monobath]

It is good that someone from Kodak is willing to answer questions. Although I wonder if we'd really want to hear an honest answer to a question like "Is the future of Super 8 assured?"

I feel the days of "assured" Super 8 viability are really gone already, even if Kodak is still introducing the occasional new stock in Super 8 and continues to do so for the next 10 years. The real problem is that Super 8 isn't _marketed_ at all, and no one makes affordable cameras or projectors. Super 8 film is really only available to those who know about it. It's not in public view. You can't attract the average consumer without new equipment. Electronics and camera stores want to sell $600 miniDV cams, not old used Super 8 gear.

What we really need is some fancy marketing to recreate Super 8 as a consumer-oriented item again. That'll take someone willing to start manufacturing and selling new Super 8 cameras, and a great deal of marketing creativity. I don't see it happening.

[MovieMaker]

Then why don´t we produce a short Super-8 commercial altogether that´s free to use for everyone afterwards to place on many, many websites - even on Kodak´s?

Showing the possible beauty of that film gauge? Like always, words are good but people want to see...

MovieMaker

[studiocarter]

Would Kodak provide S8 film(s) for a Super 8 commercial? If anyone anywhere wants to make a free S8 commercial would Kodak provide some film for them?
How about a S8 film commercial contest? Shooters do so at their own expense and many prizes are offered. NO ENTRY FEE!

Michale Carter

[T-Scan]

Then why don´t we produce a short Super-8 commercial altogether that´s free to use for everyone afterwards to place on many, many websites - even on Kodak´s?

Showing the possible beauty of that film gauge? Like always, words are good but people want to see...

MovieMaker

were finally at a point where its all too easy. it could be like the timelapse project with but fewer boundaries. one cart each showing the anything possible with Super 8 today. how about we do it first, then ask Kodak to distribute it the same way AOL distributes CD roms. except fewer people will immediately throw them away, hopefully

[MovieMaker]

I´d be in if we do it like the great "Timelapse"-projects (although I haven´t seen anything of them yet...). The idea of a contest isn´t bad too. I´m sure there are plenty of good ideas out there. Every registered member should be allowed to vote for their favorite.

We could then put the best 10 or 15 on a reel (together with one of the timelapse projects?) and offer it to Kodak for distribution as a CD-ROM, livestream on their websites, etc...

Okay, you can say: "Why do we have to do Kodak´s marketing job?!"

Hmmm... maybe because we want to keep Super-8 even more alive and attract new users? Should benefit us all....

MovieMaker

[Zero Cut]

Then why don´t we produce a short Super-8 commercial altogether that´s free to use for everyone afterwards to place on many, many websites - even on Kodak´s?

Mmmmmhhhhh....I like this idea.....A LOT !!!

THE WORLD OF SUPER 8 TODAY

A minute, minute and half, commercial about the Super 8 filmmakers around the world in the year 2004. in a dynamic and flash style and using KODAK -of course- showing why we are using Super 8, where are we, what gear are we using, the main achievements obtained with this format in the las ie: 5 years....and what we want for the next years ...etc

The only we need is a good script and the "best" director and editor available.....There is a lot of shooters in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australia...ready for to contribute and make this cooperative job...

0C

[cineandy]

my question is, would kodak ever offer k64 daylite film in the super 8 and double super 8 format, the film already exists, just needs reperfing. Thanks

[Angus]

I'd ask if there is any chance of offering any super 8 emulsion in the Kodak 200 foot cartridges.

Your man at Kodak won't be able to assure the future of super 8, but perhaps he can tell us roughly how many cartridges of each emulsion are sold per annum worldwide.

Perhaps what I would seek is a short to medium term assurance that Kodak intends to keep K40 or some other suitable process-paid super 8 film in production.

Is Kodak considering promoting super 8 in any way? Perhaps devoting a small portion of an existing print ad for another product to mentioning that super 8 is an ongoing concern. Or designing some sort of in-store display which could incorporate slide film and super 8?

Also please offer our thanks to your man for offering to answer our questions, and appreciation to Big K for actually keeping super 8 going...we may worry about Kodak's management but the fact is that they're the only people left manufacturing super 8 cartridges!

[MovieMaker]

The only we need is a good script and the "best" director and editor available.....There is a lot of shooters in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australia...ready for to contribute and make this cooperative job...

0C

I´m not sure if we need one script and determine which one of us is the "best" cinematographer, director, editor, etc...

Each individual should be allowed to participate - because each of us has a different approach to Super-8 - and that´s the beauty of it. One´s using it for family stuff only, others for musicclips, others for documentaries and so on...

Short commercials that show our passion for this format and why we´re up to pushing it to it´s limits... just my thoughts.

MovieMaker

[Angus]

I've had an idea for a super 8 commercial.

You could show a child in the 1960's, then watch as this person grows up...everything around them chnges or dies but the one constant is that they can still watch the home movies (featuring themselves as a kid) made 40 years ago ...final scene could be this person making new super 8 movies of their own children...then the bombshell that the entire commercial was shot on super 8.


BTW anybody seen the laundry detergant commercial here in the UK featuring some footballer or other...supposed super 8 footage of him as a kid (could be genuine but looks too grainy) and heavily featuring a Canon 514XL...first time I saw that I said "I got one of those!"